Carman, Illinois, man died from gunshot wound

Rex Mynatt Sr. was found dead Sunday afternoon by a family member inside his residence near Carman. Authorities have not said when they think Mynatt died.

"An autopsy was completed Monday by a forensic pathologist in Peoria," Kris Beals, the Henderson County coroner, said Wednesday. "Preliminary autopsy reports indicate the cause of death was a single gunshot wound."

Beals would not say in what part of the body Mynatt was shot or the type of weapon used.

Authorities do not consider Mynatt's death a suicide.

Henderson County Sheriff David Haynes stopped short of calling Mynatt's death a homicide. In a two-paragraph press release issued late Tuesday, Haynes said local and state law enforcement officers are moving forward with a "death investigation."

However, those familiar with Mynatt's death said it appeared from evidence at the scene he was murdered.

Donnie Seitz, chief deputy of the Henderson County Sheriff's Department, referred all questions about the investigation to Colby Hathaway, an Illinois state's attorney based in Oquawka, Ill.

"All information will be released by the state attorney's office," Seitz said Wednesday afternoon.

Hathaway could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.

Mynatt, who lived alone in a camper on property he owned at 1001 Township Road 1150 North, was found dead by his daughter, Linda Markey, about 12:20 p.m. Sunday in the camper about nine miles east of Burlington on a paved road in Henderson County.

Authorities said his daughter found her father deceased when she went to check on him after he missed church Sunday morning.

A search warrant was executed Tuesday afternoon by local and state investigators at a Stronghurst, Illinois, residence in an attempt to find out how Mynatt died and who may be responsible. Seitz declined to say why the search warrant was executed at that residence.

Authorities declined to say if anyone had been taken into custody in connection with Mynatt's death.

If Mynatt’s death is ruled a homicide, it would be the first murder in Henderson County in 17 years, officials said.

Anyone with information about Mynatt’s death is asked to call the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at (309) 867-4291.